Man charged with murder in girlfriend’s death

A 44-year-old man has been accused in the death of his girlfriend at the couple’s apartment while the woman’s young son was asleep in another room in northeast Houston Saturday.

Erick Charles Erminger is charged with murder in the death of Jennifer Lynette McKinley, 28, about 9:45 a.m. at 2130 Lake Hills Drive in the Kingwood area, according to the Houston Police Department.

Police said McKinley had unknown trauma and was pronounced dead at the scene. The Harris County Institute of Forensic Sciences is scheduled to perform an autopsy to determine how McKinley died.

Police said Erminger called his girlfriend from a bar late Friday night and asked her to pick him up because he was too intoxicated to drive. When the couple returned to their home, they argued and Erminger killed McKinley, police said. McKinley’s 8-year-old son was asleep in another room and did not hear or see the slaying.

Police said Erminger called his mother the following morning and told her he had killed McKinley and he was going to kill himself. His mother called 911 and then went to her son’s home, where police arrested Erminger.